Data storage devices have come a long way in evolution. If it all started with bulky floppy disks that could hold a very small part of information, then modern flash drives have tens of thousands of times more memory, while maintaining their compact dimensions. But more recently, even they were replaced (formally speaking, of course) by an even more advanced device for saving and transferring data. We will talk about it in this article.
Cloud services
When we talk about some more advanced form, we mean the so-called cloud technologies. This is a completely new and much more promising medium, if you can call it that. Its essence lies in the fact that the data that we upload to the cloud is not stored anywhere in a concentrated form. They are distributed over a service that is united by a large number of physical servers. This, firstly, allows you to store many times more information on them than one specifically dedicated server could accommodate; secondly, such technology has a huge number of advantages.
And there is nothing complicated about how to create a cloud for storing files. Today, this type of virtual media is used by both professional programmers and authors of Internet projects, as well as ordinary users who have a folder with photos.
And in this article we will discuss not only how to create a cloud for storing files, but also talk about it itself and its features.
Advantages and disadvantages
Let's start with the shortcomings. We will start from the end of our point, since cloud solutions really have fewer negative sides than positive ones. If you are looking for how to create a cloud for storing files, then you probably agree with this statement. The main disadvantage is the need for an Internet connection.
This means that if you do not save the necessary information on a portable device and end up in a place where there is no network access, you simply will not be able to retrieve the information and read it. That is, you can work with the cloud only with an active connection to the network or files on HDD.
The second negative point is the fee for memory expansion in the cloud. Users must use the service on a subscription basis by paying certain fees each month. It all depends on how much data you use. In the free mode, for example, you can get 2 Gb from the same Dropbox service, and if you pay $10 a month, this space will increase to 1 Tb. For $15, location restrictions are removed from your account. So, as you understand, the fee is symbolic, so for many it will not be a problem.
Service Providers
Other services (for example, Google Drive or Yandex Disk) also have their own tariff plans. For Drive, 15 Gb are allocated for free, for $2 - 100 Gb, for 10 - 1 Tb, for 200 - 20 Tb, and for $300 per month - 30 Tb of data. Google Drive, unlike Dropbox, has wider functionality, allowing you to edit files in convenient applications of your own design.
Yandex.Disk allocates 10 GB for 30 rubles per month, 100 GB for 80 rubles, and 1 terabyte of memory for 200 rubles.
There is also a cloud from Mail.ru, whose users are allocated 25 GB of space to host files for free.
Beginning of work
So how to create a cloud for storing files? First you need to decide on the service. They have some differences. As mentioned above, Dropbox and Yandex Disk are services that allow you to simply store files in your cloud disk space without worrying about their safety. You can create a cloud for storing Mile files, like other services, only after registering an internal account.
These services (with the exception of Dropbox) create one account for the user across all platforms. This is convenient, since a person can have both mail and Yandex, Google or Mail. For Dropbox, you will have to create an account separately.
The second stage of how to create own cloud to store files - this means visiting the storage from a browser or on a PC, phone, tablet. You can choose the platform you work with, and as a result, your account will be synchronized across all devices.
Form
In fact, using a browser or a special application is a rhetorical question. Of course, the program allows you to create a cloud for storing Yandex, Google, Mail or Dropbox files much more conveniently and quickly. But, of course, this is additional software that needs to be downloaded to your device. It's much easier to use a browser. So, you will have to go to the service website, log in - and you will see all your files.
Safety
Having described what negative aspects cloud services have, as well as which companies provide them, we will begin to list the advantages and benefits of such services.
So, for example, you can create a corporate file storage cloud for your business. This is very convenient: your employees, using their accounts, could make edits in some files at the same time, having access to a single repository. This way, there would be no need for you to sync all projects.
Extensions
We have already mentioned that each of the services has the possibility of expansion. In fact, if you pay some amount (equal to the cost of this or that option), you really get more space. However, most often, such services are not of interest to private users for posting photos. Most likely, business owners and developers are interested in such solutions.
This is especially true for entrepreneurs who fear the seizure of company servers or searches by intelligence agencies. It is very easy to prevent these actions if you close access to your files in time. Since all the information is actually in the cloud, even taking your computer away won't help you retrieve it.
File durability
So, you know how to create a cloud for storing files for free. All providers have a free access mode, that is, they allocate some space on their services for users free of charge. As a rule, this volume is enough to publish some personal photos and something personal. Thus, such data placement can significantly free up space on your PC.
But there is another very important positive factor to remember. If you want to create a cloud for storing files (Google, Yandex - it makes no difference), remember: this data will always remain available. They won't be deleted by the system, so you don't have to worry about, for example, physically damaging your computer. After all, in the end, all the information can be downloaded again from the cloud, where it will feel great.
That is why now everyone has so actively begun to upload their most important, most valuable and worthwhile information to the Internet. On the one hand, it may seem strange that all the most valuable things are uploaded to the network, but on the other hand, this information will be available only to one owner account. Therefore, there is no need to worry about them.
Cloud technologies continue to develop. Now the amount of memory that becomes available in free mode is also growing. So perhaps very soon customers will be able to access unlimited space for just a dollar... Time will tell!
In this article I would like to write about how to use basic functions. In 2013, the well-known Russian Internet service mail.ru launched its own cloud data storage. Store all your important files in a personal cloud; the cloud allows you to access each file from absolutely anywhere in the world. All you need is access to the Internet.
Download options
Cloud storage from mail.ru has specialized applications for all of today's most popular mobile platforms and operating systems for PC. The service does not limit the speed of uploading files to the cloud, thereby providing users with the opportunity to use the service as comfortably as possible.
I would like to note that in the cloud from mail.ru you get 25 Gigabytes of free free space on a personal virtual disk. The storage allows users to upload photos, videos, text files, folders, archives and many other types of files.
Cloud capabilities from mail.ru:
- high speed of downloading user files of any size;
- the ability to create backup copies of important files and folders;
- the user can configure auto-download of files from the phone camera;
- function of creating shared user folders and sharing files;
- the ability to quickly share files on a social network;
- synchronization with mail.ru mail;
- built-in security system. Regular scanning of cloud files for viruses.
Let's look at how to start basic work with storage and how to upload files to [email protected].
Uploading photos to the cloud
In order to start working with the mail.ru cloud, follow the link cloud.mail.ru and using the login and password for your mailbox. You are now on the home page of your cloud storage.
To upload a photo to [email protected], click on the “+ Upload” button in the upper left corner and drag the photo you want to upload onto the pop-up window. You can also click on the “Select file” button and use the computer explorer to find required photo. The selected photo will be uploaded to the storage automatically.
Uploading a folder
Now let's look at uploading folders to [email protected]. You cannot directly upload a folder to the cloud through a browser; you can only create a folder on the cloud and add to it all the files from your folder located on your computer. To quickly transfer a folder from your device to the cloud, follow the steps below:
There is another way to upload a folder to the cloud, which is faster. On your PC, create an archive of the folder and upload this archive to the cloud. You will not be able to open the folder in the storage, but only the ability to download the archive will be available.
Important! I would like to note that there are limitations when uploading a large file to the cloud. The file size cannot be more than 2 Gigabytes.
In the article, I briefly described the methods of uploading to [email protected], and also listed all the main features of this service. I believe that the 25 GB of free storage space, ease of use and user-friendly interface are good reasons to start using this one.
Cloud services are a modern trend in the field of information technology. The cloud has come to be called any remote server resources that allow solving various current user tasks related to digital information: storing files and archives, hosting websites, working in various paid programs without directly purchasing them. Consider using cloud service for storing files from the Mail.ru company.
How to use the Mail RU cloud through a browserWe offer a short guide to the functions of the cloud service from Mail ru.
- To start using the cloud from Mail ru you need to have a registered account at mail.ru. If you don't have an account yet, register one.
- After registration, go to the start page of the cloud service at https://cloud.mail.ru.
- Read the License Agreement, accept its terms and proceed to work with the service by clicking the button Get started.
- To upload your data to the cloud, click the button Download and select the necessary files on your computer disks. Maximum size The file that can be downloaded through the browser is 2GB. After downloading files, you can perform the necessary actions with them: rename them, provide them for downloading, move them into folders, and so on.
- To get a link to the downloaded files, where anyone can download the data, select the downloaded file and click the button Get the link.
Copy the link from the window that appears. - If after some time you want to prohibit downloading a file from your cloud, then select it and press the button Remove link. The file will only be available to you from the cloud control panel.
- To organize the downloaded files, it is recommended to place them in the appropriate folders. Folders must first be created by clicking the button Create and select the item in the menu that appears Folder.
- To delete files that no longer need to be stored in the cloud, mark these files and click the button Delete.
- In addition to storing files using the Mail.ru cloud, you can create a document, tables or presentation, that is, analogues of documents with which you work with office applications Word, Excel and Power Point, respectively. To create the specified files in the cloud, click the button Create and select the desired item from the menu that appears. It should be noted that functionality in the cloud is significantly more limited than what can be obtained using similar Microsoft Office applications.
- If you have been sent a link to download any file stored on the Mail.ru cloud, then you do not have to download it to your computer, but save it to your cloud. To do this, click on the button with the image of a cloud and select a folder to save the data.
How to use the Mail ru cloud through the application
It’s even more convenient to use the cloud not through a browser, but using applications that can be installed for all popular computer platforms, as well as smartphones. One of the benefits of using apps is that they can upload files up to 32GB in size. How to use the application: 
As the Mailru company itself states, using its cloud service, the user no longer needs to worry about the safety of personal data and it will always be “at hand” on any device. We can only take his word for it and/or check the validity of this statement.
Hello friends! Today's article is about Mail.Ru cloud storage. Let's look at how to use the cloud via the web interface:
How to upload files there and share links to them;
How to create folders and configure access to them;
How to move, rename and delete files.
How to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations directly in the cloud.
And other subtleties of use.
The beauty of any cloud storage is that it gives you additional space to store your files online.
No need once again clutter up the computer
It’s convenient to share files with other people (just open access via a link).
And since I have Mailbox on Mile, I decided to use this storage facility as well. Moreover, 25 GB of memory is available for free here. Insert from 2018 - now they give 8 GB for free.
In general, this is all theory. And we will move on to practice.
Watch my video instructions for working with the Mail.Ru cloud below:
So, as you already understand, to gain access to the cloud on Mail.Ru you need to register a mailbox here. Thus, you create your account through which you can use other Mail services, including cloud storage.
Although it is not necessary to register a mailbox, you can use Mail to log into your mail located on another service. I showed this in the video (watch from the 11th minute 46th second). Thus, your mailbox, for example on Yandex, will open in the Mail.ru interface and you will also be able to use the cloud.
To go to the cloud, being on home page Mail.Ru, you need to click on the “All projects” tab and select “Cloud”.
Initially, pictures and a video file are already loaded there, which you can delete. Delete files possibly in several ways. If you need to delete several files at once, mark them with a checkmark and click on the “Delete” button at the top.
Or right-click on the file and select “Delete”. Again, if you have marked several files, they will all be deleted.
And one nuance - in the Mail.ru cloud there is no basket into which deleted files, as on the same Yandex disk. From there we can restore them. We delete it from the cloud immediately!
To add files from your computer to the cloud, use the “Download” button in the upper left corner.
You can upload using the “Select files on your computer” button, or drag them into the upload window with the mouse. There is a limitation - the uploaded file size is up to 2 GB.
Next to the “Download” button we see the “Create” button. We use it for creating folders, documents (Word), tables (Excel) or presentations (power point) directly in the cloud.
If you want to organize your files in the cloud, then create special folders for them. To move file to folder, select it with a checkmark, right-click, select “Move”.
A window will open in which you can select a folder to move or immediately create a new one.
Generally, we can use the right mouse button for different actions on files– delete, move, copy, download, generate a link for other people or send by mail. It is very comfortable.
By the way, if you need download several files from the cloud at once. You select them with checkmarks and they will be automatically packed into one archive for downloading.
If you open access to a file for a while, and then want to delete this link, then select the desired file with the mouse, right-click and select “Delete link”.
All your files to which you have shared access can also be found in the “Sharing” section.
If a link to a file from the Mail.Ru cloud was shared with you, then you can download it immediately or save it to your cloud. You will have the option to specify a folder (where you want to save this file) or you can create a new folder for it.
Now a few words about setting up access to folders. You can share any folder with the ability to edit. That is, other users will also be able to add files to this folder.
To set up access to a folder, check the box and click on the “Set up access” tab.
Editing access can only be made available to individual members you invite via email.
If you are going to send an invitation to a user with a mailbox other than Mail.ru, then he will receive the invitation only if he logs into his mail via Mail. More about this Here.
This user will see the following invitation in their mailbox:
Having accepted it in his cloud, in the “Sharing” section, he will find the folder that you opened for him and will be able to add his files to it. You, in turn, will see all the changes he made in your folder.
And also, you can change the display of files in the cloud. And instead of large icons, you will have this compact list:
Friends, if this is your first time getting acquainted with Mail.Ru cloud storage, I hope that the instructions were clear to you. In any case, I'm always happy to answer your questions in the comments.
I wish you success!
Sincerely, Victoria
The cloud is a service where you can store data and easily manage it. That is, you can upload your files to it, work with them directly on the Internet, download them at any time, and also transfer them to another person.
Any user can get such a service at their disposal completely free of charge. It's essentially your own hard drive on the Internet.
You could say it's something like Local disk computer, but only with the ability to use it on any device with Internet access. Plus, you can transfer files to other users by simply sending them a download link.
So, the cloud is needed to:
- Store files and folders with files
- Work with them on any computer or smartphone that has the Internet
- Easily and quickly transfer files to other people
Thus, it replaces flash drives, disks and other devices for transferring information.
That is, I can upload the files I need to such a service and work with them on any other computer where there is Internet. These can be documents, books, music, videos - in general, any files.
Initially, they are available only to me, but if I wish, I can make some of them public. Then they can be downloaded.
That is, a special Internet address (link) will be generated where the file can be saved to your computer. I can send this address to any person (for example, on Skype or via mail), and the person will be able to download my file.
Where and how to get the cloud
There are sites that provide clouds to users. It's like with mail: there are sites where you can get it. We go to such a site, register and get a cloud service for storing data.
We are allocated a certain free volume. On some services it is a very decent 50-100 GB. If you want more, it's for money.
Or you can register several times and, accordingly, receive several free volumes. Everything is free, everything is legal!
The easiest way to get a cloud is to do it where you have your mail. The fact is that the largest email sites (Yandex, Mail, Gmail) distribute such services for free. You just need to want it.
That is, you don’t even need to register. Just open your mail and indicate that you want to receive the cloud. They give it to you right away.
Sites that give away clouds for free
Yandex.Disk is a cloud service from Yandex. If you have mail there, then you also have such a disk. 10 GB is given free of charge and forever.
To receive Yandex.Disk, you need to open the website yandex.ru and go to your mail. Then open the “Disk” tab (at the top).
They will greet you and offer to download special program to your computer for convenient work with Yandex.Disk.
It’s better not to do this right away - you can always install it later. I recommend closing this window and first learning how to use Yandex.Disk without the program.
That's all! Upload files, sort them, share, delete. In general, you already have a cloud. There are even some files and folders with files already loaded onto it for example.
To further access Yandex.Disk, you need to follow all the same steps: open the yandex.ru website, open your email, go to the “Disk” tab.
Or you can install and configure a special program “Disk for Windows” and use the cloud directly from your computer - without going to the website yandex.ru
Cloud Mail.ru is a service from the mail site mail.ru. 25 GB is given free of charge.
To receive this goodness you just need to have a mail.ru mailbox. If you have it, then you also have a cloud.
To enter it, you need to open the mail.ru website and open your mail. Then click on the “Cloud” button at the top.
Your personal cloud service will open. Some example files are already loaded into it. You can remove them, or you can leave them. In general, your cloud is already ready to go.
You can use it directly, via email, or you can download and install a special application (program). Then the cloud will be accessible directly from the computer - a shortcut will appear on the Desktop to instantly open it.
Google Drive is a service that is “attached” to gmail.com. 15 GB is allocated for free.
To get into it, you need to go to your email account on the website gmail.com. Then click on the picture with small squares next to your name (top right) and click on the “Disk” item.
Perhaps after this Google will ask you a couple of questions. Below, in the pictures, it is shown what he should answer in this case.
After this, your personal cloud will load. It will already have a folder with several files. You can delete this folder with all its contents, or you can leave it - as you wish.
So, the disk is ready for use. You can start downloading!
It opens in exactly the same way - through mail. Or you can install a special program. Then it will be accessible from your computer.
It seemed to me that this cloud is much more difficult to use than all the others. Not everyone will understand. But there are certain advantages that other services do not have. For example, you can create a document, presentation, table, form or drawing right in it.
That is, a program will open directly on the Internet to create a file of the desired type. It is quite simple and allows you to both create a file and save it to Google Drive, as well as download it to your computer in the desired format.
Such programs can be used instead of Word, Excel, Power Point. It is very convenient when you have to work on a computer on which they are not installed.
Which service is better
As various tests have shown, the “mail” clouds that I just talked about are superior in quality, convenience and free features to all other similar services.
I won’t go into details, but the places were distributed as follows:
Therefore, I recommend that you still use one of these services. If you do not have an email account on any of them, then you just need to register. You will have new mail (which, by the way, you don’t have to use at all) and a cloud.
Of course, there are other sites where you can get a cloud service for free. But most of them have free versions There are various unpleasant restrictions.
But there is one that compares favorably with all the others (including the “postal” ones). It is best suited for transferring files to other people. His address: mega.co.nz
Mega - this service makes sense for those who host files for downloading. The fact is that through special downloader programs such as MiPony, they can be saved to your computer very quickly and easily. Much easier and faster than with other cloud services. 50 GB is allocated for free.
Initially the site opens on English language. To switch to the Russian version, click on the Menu button (top right), select Language from the list, then click on Russian and the Save button.
Just in case, I’ll give you two more good cloud services:
Dropbox - 2 GB free.
One Drive - 7 GB free.
How to manage the cloud
You can manage it on the very site where you received it. Log in there with your username and password, go to a certain section and get access to the cloud.
And you can do this even easier, more conveniently and, most importantly, much faster: with the help of a small application (program).
Each service has its own, that is, you need to download it from the site where you have the cloud.
This application allows you to quickly and easily upload, watch, download files and folders with files from your cloud service. It takes up very little space, and you can install such a program on any computer or smartphone (not just yours).
How to install the application. Open your cloud and there will be a download link or button in a prominent place. The pictures below show where such a button is in “mail” cloud services.
Download the program file and open it. The installation will begin. Below are illustrated instructions for each “mail” service. Do everything as in the pictures and the application will install.
Yandex.Disk:
Cloud Mail.ru:
How to use the application
After installing the application, a program shortcut appears on the Desktop. With the help of it we will work with the cloud.
When you first launch the program, you will be asked to enter data from the cloud. Type your email address and password. Then agree to the terms of service and click “Login”.
Now, when you open the program icon, your cloud will open directly on your computer - in a regular folder.
Also, when an application is opened, its icon appears in the tray.
This is where the computer clock is - in the lower right corner of the screen (on the taskbar, where the other icons are).
This icon may be hidden under a small arrow next to the alphabet.
Using it you can control the application. To do this, click on it with the left or right mouse button.
File/folder synchronization. This is the most difficult part to understand, but you definitely need to understand it to successful work with the application.
The point of synchronization is that the computer or smartphone on which the application is installed must connect to your cloud and download files from or to it.
This process must be completed, otherwise we will not be able to use the downloaded data. Synchronization occurs via the Internet. That is, without the Internet it is simply impossible.
Consider the following situation. My cloud already has downloaded files and folders with files.
By the way, initially, when you receive the cloud, it already has some information. So if you didn’t specifically delete it, then there are several files there.
I installed the application on my computer, opened it, entered my username and password. A folder with a cloud has opened. So, all the data that was on it initially should be uploaded to this folder. That is, my cloud and computer must be synchronized.
It turns out that all the files that are on the cloud are downloaded to my computer in this very folder. And if there are few of them and they are not big size, then this process will happen quickly - I may not even notice it.
But if the files are large and my Internet is not very fast, then synchronization will take some time.
In practice, it looks like this: I open an application shortcut and see an empty folder, although I know for sure that there are files on my cloud.
Usually in this case, users begin to get nervous - they worry that their files have been deleted. In fact, they are all there. But we don’t see them because the synchronization procedure has not yet been completed.
And this can be verified. When synchronization is in progress, the application icon (the one in the tray) seems to move.
And if we click on it, then in the menu that opens there will be an item indicating the progress of the process.
In fact, at this moment, files are downloaded from the Internet. That is, the Internet itself may work slower because of this.
If necessary, synchronization can be turned off. To do this, click on the application icon in the tray and select the appropriate item from the menu. By the way, you can completely exit the program there.
In general, while synchronization is in progress, the files will not be accessible. The same thing happens when transferring information from a computer to the cloud.
How to upload a file (folder with files) to the cloud. To do this, you just need to copy the necessary files and then paste them into the application folder.
Copy/paste occurs as usual, but after this all transferred files should be synchronized. Otherwise, they will not be uploaded to the Internet on your cloud.
In the Cloud Mail.ru application, this process occurs instantly. Moreover, even for large files (from 1 GB).
In the Yandex.Disk program, synchronization takes some time, but it still happens quickly.
For me, on a fairly slow Internet, a 1 GB file downloaded in just a few minutes. If directly uploaded to the cloud (without an application), this process would take more than an hour.
But Google Drive lags behind in this regard. Apparently, this application uses a different technology, and synchronization takes the same amount of time as a regular file download.
My results may differ from yours. Perhaps your synchronization process will be faster or, on the contrary, slower than mine.
How to download a file (folder with files) from the cloud. All files that you want to download to your computer or phone from the application must be fully synchronized.
You can transfer them to your computer by simply copying them. That is, open the application, copy the necessary files and paste them into the computer folder of your choice. That's all! A couple of seconds - and the files are downloaded.
Cons of cloud services
Everything has both pros and cons. And cloud services also have them. I will list the main ones:
1. Memory consumption. In other words, the work of cloud services “stresses” the computer. In the case of Yandex.Disk and Cloud.Mail.ru, the load is insignificant, but Google Drive is quite voracious. Modern computers may not notice this, but old ones will have to puff.
2. Security. Since the cloud is an Internet service, there is always a certain chance that your files could fall into the wrong hands. Certainly, modern technologies Data protection minimizes this probability, but there is always a risk. Moreover, the service is public.
3. Internet required. Without the Internet, you will not be able to use any cloud service.
Additional Information
In case the information provided in this lesson is not enough for you.
Each cloud service has detailed instructions by use. Users don’t particularly like it, but it does contain a lot of useful and interesting information.